There were questions this offseason about how Klay Thompson would perform in a featured role with the new-look Heat after he spent last season with a 26-win team in Dallas. But the veteran wing, who missed two full prime seasons (2019-21) with a torn ACL and torn Achilles, says he feels reinvigorated in Miami, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Thompson says he’s “very motivated” to continue his hot start after scoring 14.4 points while converting 3.8 of his 9.4 three-point attempts per game (40.8%) over his first 11 appearances (24.8 minutes per contest). If he maintains that percentage over a full season, it would represent his second-most accurate season from behind the arc since he returned from the Achilles tear in 2021/22.
“I feel amazing,” said Thompson, who has historically started slowly. “I haven’t felt this good in a long time — no pain in my lower limbs, and I’m so grateful to be here. I mean, they hold me accountable, the training staff and coaching staff, and I feel amazing. I haven’t felt this good to start a season in years, so I’m just really inspired.
“I know what I’m capable of, and as long as I stay in great condition. That’s why I’m so attracted to Miami. The culture’s real. They really get the most out of you, especially at this stage in my career. It really attracted me to be a player for the organization.”
While Thompson’s outside shooting draws plenty of attention, head coach Erik Spoelstra has noticed the 36-year-old “rewind the clock a little bit” on the defensive end as well, Winderman writes.
“It’s not just the shooting,” Spoelstra said of Thompson, who holds a $5.88MM player option for next season. “That part is, like I said, an exponential factor for us. But you see his feet moving better defensively. He’s getting closer to who he used to be defensively.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Thompson (left ankle soreness) and Pelle Larsson (illness) didn’t practice Thursday and have been listed as questionable for Friday’s NBA Cup matchup vs. Cleveland, Winderman adds in another article. The story is largely centered on point guard Davion Mitchellan impending free agent who, rather unexpectedly, leads the Heat in minutes per game (35.8). Spoelstra said he wouldn’t mind reducing Mitchell’s workload a little, but the former Baylor star says his body is responding well. “Body feels great,” Mitchell said after Thursday’s practice. “Yeah, I trained all summer for these moments, for whatever moment that came to me. I just try to be prepared. And I got in shape, body feels good. Usually in this time, after back-to-backs, I’ll feel sore or something like that. But I feel great.”
- Spoelstra has shown early this season that he’s not afraid to switch things up when the team isn’t responding the way he wants, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Heat started the season in an 0-4 hole, but have gone 5-2 over their past seven games to move to one game under .500 (5-6). Recent changes include inserting Larsson into the starting lineup over the struggling Andrew Wigginsrunning more pick-and-rolls, and pulling free agent addition Tim Hardaway Jr. from the rotation, among others.
- As Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel some coaches might be worried that three of their team’s five victories came in clutch situations against teams (the Clippers, Kings and Jazz) who currently have a combined record of 4-28. But those wins all came on the road, and Spoelstra and his players believe gaining more experience in crunch time will only benefit the Heat in the long run. “It’s going to take time,” center Bam Adebayo said of the Heat becoming more efficient during closing time. “Obviously, you want everybody to be comfortable. You want everybody to be comfortable in that fourth quarter and everybody be in their right spots and understand what we’re doing.”
- Figuring out a consistent bench rotation remains a work in progress for the Heat, according to Chiang. Spoelstra says it’s a difficult situation to navigate for everyone involved, but the main thing he’s looking for from the second unit is energy and effort. “Some of these decisions are tough for me,” Spoelstra said. “It’s tough for some of the guys to find their rhythm. Right now, we have to overcome all of that and put things aside and just figure out a way to make that second unit a positive.”